


Some time between twelve and noon

by charlottefrey



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Getting Together, Interhouse Friendships, Romance, inspired by tik tok, last year at hogwarts, newts, trust me I don't know what I'm doing either
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26439568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/charlottefrey/pseuds/charlottefrey
Summary: It's Oliver Woods last year at Hogwarts and not only has he to worry about his NEWTs, he also wants to win the Quidditch Cup and finally beat Marcus Flint. Entering this equation is Erin, a fellow student struggling with Potions whom he offers to help in return for assistance in Charms. Erin and Oliver grow incresingly close while they thrive to accomplish their respective goals.
Relationships: Oliver Wood/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 19





	Some time between twelve and noon

**Author's Note:**

  * For [esmcdonald9](https://archiveofourown.org/users/esmcdonald9/gifts).



> Ya'll... What the fuck.
> 
> I know that M/F ships aren't really a thing I do here. But boy, I don't know what the hell happened here. Actually I do. I lost my mind somewhere between Zoology and Physics. And then I saw @erinmcnugget on tiktok simping over Oliver Wood and I went 'Actually why not?'. Which caused me to not only fall down the Oliver Wood rabbit hole, but also to write a fanfiction of her and Oliver. And yes, I sprinkled myself in there somewhere. Don't blame me, give me a decent Slytherin female character... Oh you can't? Then live with my self insert. 
> 
> I know that there are some fanfics needing an update/ending, but I am currently barely able to motivate myself to do more than existing. Also the KBB is in fully swing and there'll be another lenghty (and very cool) fanfic coming out of that.

Oliver sat in a corner of the library, as far away as possible from the entrance. He needed to get some homework done for the next week before he could allow himself to even think about planning the strategy for their first game against Slytherin. He was so immersed in the technicalities of a charm, that he didn’t notice his fellow students when they stood right in front of him. 

“Hey Wood,” someone said suddenly. “Can we sit at your table? It seems like we could get some studying done around you.” 

Jerking his head around so fast he almost gave himself whiplash, Oliver looked at Erin and Deidre. Erin smiled at him and clutched a few books against her chest, effectively hiding her Hufflepuff patch. Behind her loomed Deidre, her usual silent self. 

“Uh, sure,” Oliver shrugged. 

“Thank you!” Erin beamed. “Everyone else is making too much of a racket to really study to be honest.” 

Deidre arched her brow as she watched Erin take a seat across from Oliver. She opted for the seat beside her friend and placed her bag into the chair beside her. Oliver tore his eyes from her and smiled at Erin, who smiled back at him.

“We all have to prepare for our NEWTs,” Oliver shrugged. “I wouldn’t want to repeat this year like Flint has to now.” 

At that he nervously glanced over to Deidre who pulled out a book about Transfiguration. Deidre shrugged and was about to say something, when Erin opened her mouth.

“He just focused on Quidditch too much last year,” she replied diplomatically. “I’m sure he will work harder this year. Do you have your notes from Potions?” 

“Yes, they’re here,” Deidre handed over some parchment. “I’ll write to my uncle if he can give you some advice on the Felix Felicis if you want.” 

“That would be nice,” Erin murmured, already focused on the notes. 

Deidre shot Oliver one last look and flipped open her Transfiguration book with her wand. 

Still a little uneasy about the whole situation, Oliver returned to his Charms homework. He knew Erin and Deidre from some of their classes they shared. Deidre had taken Erin under her wing ever since Erin moved to England and enrolled at Hogwarts. It wasn’t unusual for Sytherins and Huffelpuffs to become close friends. 

And their friendship was incredibly close, both of them rarely seen without the other. Maybe that was one of the reasons why no one had asked Erin out on a date. Oliver knew that several boys in their year had had crushes on her. Unsurprisingly, since Erin was one of the friendliest, most easy going girls in Hogwarts. 

He flushed as he watched her flick through the pages of her potions book and returned his focus on his own homework. Oliver tried not to notice that Erin bounced her legs nervously every so often. Or that she had a habit of rolling her feather between her fingers and smearing them with ink. 

“Erin you are making a mess of your parchment,” Deidre muttered at some point and vanished the ink drops on Erin’s sleeve and fingers. 

“Sorry, I just don’t get Potions,” Erin chewed on her lower lip before sighing. “Why add the unicorn hair if you’re removing that anyway at the end?” 

“We require the inherent magic of the hair for the Felix Felicis,” Oliver said. “Leaving it in would sour the potion. Think of it like a tea bag maybe.” 

“A tea bag?” Erin’s lips turned up in amusement. 

“Yes, a magic tea bag,” Oliver grinned. 

“Are you some kind of Potion’s prodigy?” Deidre asked. 

“My mum works for St. Mungo’s Potions Department,” Oliver shrugged. “You’re bound to pick up some things.” 

“Then you might be able to help Erin a little bit. She struggles with Potions a lot.” 

Oliver swallowed and looked at Erin who blushed and avoided eye contact for a moment. He shrugged again and smiled. 

“Yeah, why not,” he agreed. 

“I could repay you? I’m really good at Charms and Arithmancy!” Erin offered. 

“I would like your help with Charms, since I never seem to get them just right.” 

Erin blushed deeper and nodded enthusiastically. Swallowing Oliver set his feather down and rested his sweaty hands on the polished table top.

“We could meet on Monday after class? I have to prepare for the game against Slytherin, so that’s the earliest.” 

“You won’t be playing against Slytherin,” Deidre suddenly said. 

“What?” Oliver turned to her, confusion welling up inside of him.

“Malfoy got  _ injured _ ,” she rolled her eyes. “He’s fucked with a Hippogriff and got what he deserved. Now his dad is pressuring Flint and Snape into postponing your game. You’ll probably play against Huffelpuff. Or at least that’s what Flint said.” 

“And when did that happen?” Oliver was surprised, if not outright shocked. 

“Apparently this morning,” Erin said. “We only know the rough details, I’m sure they’ll announce it at breakfast tomorrow when a decision is reached. But yeah, you’re going to play against us and Cedric will win the game,” she smirked. 

“Harry is a much faster Seeker than Cedric ever will be,” Oliver countered. 

“Cedric has more experience,” Erin held against. “And he’d eat Harry for breakfast if he too had a Nimbus.” 

Deidre gave an exasperated sigh. Erin turned to her with an amused smile on her lips and arched her brow.

“This is the point of the conversation when I leave. I’m done with Transfiguration anyway,” she said and began packing her things. 

“We’re not forcing you to leave,” Erin protested. 

“Don’t worry,” Deidre said gently. “I’m getting a headache and really need to lie down somewhere and just nap, so I’ll see you at dinner later, okay?” 

She stood up and kissed Erin’s cheek before pushing her chair back under the table. 

“Okay,” Erin didn’t sound too convinced, but made no more moves to stop her friend. 

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” 

With those words, Deidre wandered off. Before she turned around the corner, she looked over her shoulder and caught Oliver looking at her. She wiggled her brows at him and left. It was the first time in over six years Oliver saw her break her icy facade for someone that wasn’t her friend. 

“Can you look over my essay?” Erin handed it over to Oliver, breaking him out of his stupor. “I feel like it’s crap.” 

Quickly skimming over it, Oliver wasn’t so sure that Erin was as bad at Potions as she claimed to be. 

“It’s decent,” Oliver said. “Why do you think you’re bad at it?” 

“I’m always really slow to finish my potions and they never meet Snape’s expectations,” Erin took a deep breath. “Also they never work reliably.” 

“You can’t give a hundred percent at all times,” Oliver handed the essay back. 

“Deidre tells me that too, but I really want to prove to people that Huffelpuffs too can be smart and intelligent,” she looked away. “We’re always portrayed as the house with the least defining character.” 

“I know plenty of Huffelpuffs who are incredible wizards. My mum is one too and now she pretty much runs the best potioners laboratory in Great Britain,” Oliver shrugged. 

“It’s not that,” Erin licked her lips. “When we moved here, I was excited to join Hogwarts, but when I came here and got sorted into Hufflepuff after hearing all the stereotypes about the houses… It upset me,” she frowns a little. “We never had that at Ilvermorny.” 

“Interhouse rivalry and stereotypes are very predominante here,” Oliver agreed. “And we do play into it a great deal.” 

“You especially.” 

“Guilty as charged,” Oliver chuckled. 

“Deidre didn’t even want to sit down at the same table as you,” Erin giggled. “She was all ‘Wood surely hates every Slytherin. I’d rather tango with Snape that endure him.’” 

“She said that?” 

“It’s not a direct quote, but you get the gist.” 

“She’s not half bad for a Slytherin to be honest,” Oliver confessed. “I guess out of that house she’s the only one who seems decent.” 

“There are more nice Slytherins, let me assure you of that,” Erin said. “You just can’t see it because you insist on being competitive in all walks of life.”

“Weren’t you just the one who claimed that Cedric could easily beat Harry?” 

“I was stating a fact Oliver. Never have I ever lied about something as serious as a Quidditch game.” 

“You just proved my point,” Oliver grinned.

“I don’t care. Qudditch is my favourite sport and to this day my dad is disappointed that I didn’t join the Hufflepuff team.” 

“Your dad is a trainer for the Canons isn’t he?” Oliver asked. 

“Yes, it’s the reason for our move here,” Erin nodded. “Sometimes I wonder if he wanted me to pursue a career in Quidditch. It’s just not for me though. I found my passion in other things.” 

“Such as?” Oliver leaned forward a little. 

“I want to restructure the education system. In the US we have multiple magic schools all across the country and they all teach the same standard,” Erin explained. “I would love it if every magical school would join that programm. We even had classes in wandless magic and most of the subjects were a lot more focused on practical use than theory.” 

“That sounds like a really interesting prospect,” Oliver agreed. “You’re looking into positions at the Ministry then?” 

“Yes, have been for the last two years. And since I did a couple of internships during the holidays, I might get lucky and get in first try,” Erin smiled. “It would be really cool to be honest. Deidre already has a job offer from the Auror Office.” 

“Really?” Oliver was surprised. “I wouldn’t have pegged her the type.” 

“No one would. But her OWLs were really good and she showed great spell work in Transfiguration and DADA,” Erin said. “And if we both got our dream jobs, we could live together or something. I don’t know.” 

They fell silent for a moment. 

“You’re probably looking at a career in Quidditch I guess,” Erin looked at Oliver. 

“Yes,” Oliver nodded. “There were a couple of scouts at some of our games last year and I was offered a few jobs. I have yet to reply to any of the offers seriously, but I’m sure at the end of the year I have a plan figured out.” 

“I’m sure of it!” Erin smiled at him. “Wherever you end up, you’ll love it.” 

To mask the sudden flutter of his heart, Oliver looked aside and took a deep breath. Erin was really cute. Oliver had never spent too much time with her previously, but since he was always occupied with Quidditch training, that was no surprise. 

“You alright?” Erin asked suddenly.

“Yeah… Yeah. I was just thinking that I don’t really feel ready to leave Hogwarts and become an adult,” he sighed. 

“I feel the same,” Erin nodded. “It’s safe here you know? You get told what to do and when to be where. There are clear rules and your life is so much more structured…” She sighed deeply. “But on the other hand it’s super exciting as well.” 

“Starting a whole new chapter,” Oliver agreed. “Scary and exhilarating. Just like a good game of Quidditch.” 

Erin burst out laughing and had to press a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. He had to force himself to remain calm too before Madam Pince came over to their corner. 

“Why am I not surprised you chose this allegory?” Erin asked and grinned at Oliver. 

Oliver merely shrugged and smiled, not really sure how to respond to that. But he didn’t have to since Madam Pince apparently had heard them and now advanced through the corridor towards their table. 

“Oops,” Erin muttered and turned her attention to her potions essay again. 

“Silence in the library!” Madam Pince hissed. “If you want to spend your hours prattling and laughing, please do that in the Three Broomsticks. This is your only warning!” 

Then she glared at them for good measure and wandered back to her table at the entrance. Erin raised her brows comically and looked at Oliver. Both had to stifle their giggles behind books and hands. 

**Author's Note:**

> If ya'll liked that, tell me. If ya'll want more, tell me also. If any of ya'll act like a dick, I'll flip my shit.


End file.
